AFTER A DEATH OCCURS – A Checklist Here is a checklist of important things to do when someone close to you dies. This can be a very overwhelming and emotional time. It is a good idea to read this checklist before a death occurs, in order to plan and understand the practical steps of this difficult process. It is also helpful to keep all your important information in one location and tell someone where you keep it. The words “deceased” and “decedent” mean “the person who died.” “Estate” is the property belonging to the person who died. 1. Immediate Steps Call 911 right away if there is an unexpected death in your home. The medical team will help you figure out the next steps. If the deceased was receiving hospice care, call the hospice. Call your doctor or your hospice before an expected death, to discuss what to do when or if a death happens in your home. Most deaths occur in hospitals and other places such as nursing homes. Talk to the staff about their process. Contact close family and/or friends of the deceased, the deceased’s doctor (if a hospice is not involved), and the deceased’s lawyer, if any. Look for any written instructions (sometimes called a “Letter of Instruction,” “Final Instructions”, or "Disposition Authorization") for funeral or memorial service arrangements, and burial or cremation arrangements. Also look to see if the deceased named a "Designated Agent" to take care of those arrangements (sometimes this is included in the deceased's advance directive documents such as in their Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care). If not found, ask close friends, the deceased's doctor or the deceased’s lawyer if they know where these instructions are. Ask if there are any pre-paid services. Look for records of the deceased person’s desire to donate organs or tissue (usually noted on a Washington State driver’s license with a red heart symbol or the word “Donor,” or mentioned in the deceased’s “Final Instructions”). Give this information to the deceased’s doctor or hospice immediately (or before the death, if possible). Page 2 of 11 If you are the named "Designated Agent" (or if none, if you are the person allowed by Washington State law such as the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, or siblings), you should arrange for funeral or memorial services, and burial or cremation. Washington State usually requires embalming if the body will be held or transported more than 24 hours after death. See the listings under Funerals in the Resources section at the end of this document. Death Certificates: You can order certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral director or your hospice. Often you can get them from the local Department of Health office in the county where the death occurred. See the listings under For Death Certificates and Notification of Death in the Resources section at the end of this document. Generally, you will need one certified copy of the death certificate for each major asset, such as cars, land, or bank accounts, for which you will need to transfer ownership. You may also need a certified copy for items such as life insurance policies, veterans’ survivor benefits, and annuities. Certified copies are expensive (approximately $20- $32 each, plus fees). Ask if a non-certified photocopy is allowed, or if the company would return the original certified copy to you so you could use it later. 2. Next Steps - Locate Important Papers Find the deceased’s important papers and documents as soon as possible. If necessary, ask close family, friends, or the deceased's doctor or lawyer if they know where these important papers can be found, and the location of a bank safety deposit box, if any. In Washington State safety deposit boxes of the deceased are not sealed. Anyone who has legal access has the right to open the safety deposit box. (See the For More Information section at the end of this document to learn what to do if there is no one available with access to the safety deposit box.) The Will – First, find out if the deceased left a Will and/or a trust. If there is a Will, notify the Personal Representative named in the Will (and the Trustee, if named in a trust) right away. The Personal Representative is responsible for taking care of the deceased’s estate and for following the terms of the Will, while the Trustee is responsible for managing the trust. Sometimes the Personal Representative is called the “Executor” or “Executrix”. In Washington, a valid and signed Will must be filed with the Superior Court, usually in the deceased’s county of residence, within 30 days of the death. This is an extremely important step to complete if there is a Will. Page 3 of 11 If there is a Will and/or trust, give all of the important papers to the Personal Representative and/or Trustee as soon as possible. If there is no Will, the court will administer the estate according to Washington State law. For more information about wills, estate administration and what happens when there is no will, see the listings under Estate Administration and Legal Help in the Resources section at the end of this document Other Items – Locate other important papers and documents as soon as possible. Here is a list of some things to look for: Deeds and Titles o Property deeds (including any recent appraisals) o Mortgage documents (and promissory/loan notes) o Vehicle titles and registrations (car, boat, RV, etc.) o Membership certificates Insurance Policies o Life insurance (including premium payment records) o Accidental life insurance o Veterans’ insurance o Employers or pension insurance o Funeral insurance (or other death-related benefit plans) o Mortgage and/or credit insurance o Credit card insurance (for balances) o Health insurance (including Medicare or Medicaid, “Medigap” insurance, private health insurance, dental, and long term care insurance) o Property insurance (homeowners/renters insurance, car insurance, etc.) o Workers’ compensation insurance (and payment records) Financial Accounts Including most recent statements for all accounts and the list of Beneficiaries, if any. o Bank accounts - checking, savings, CD’s, etc. o Investment/brokerage accounts, IRA’s, 401-K’s, etc. o Stocks and bonds o Annuities o Credit and debit card accounts o List of safety deposit boxes, where to find keys, and names of authorized users Other Financial Records o Survivor annuity benefit papers o Employer/retirement benefit (pension) plans, pension/profit-sharing plans, etc. o Veterans’ benefit records Page 4 of 11 o Disability payment documents (State, Veterans’, etc.) o Income tax returns (from the current year) o Gift tax returns (for all years) o Property tax records and statements o Business interests held, financial statements and agreements, contracts, etc. o Loan papers o Other - investment records, etc. Legal Papers o Court documents for adoptions and divorce (including any property settlement agreements, name changes, prenuptial agreements, etc.) o Military service papers, including discharge records o Will and/or trusts o Deceased’s Final Instructions, Disposition Authorization, and/or Designated Agent forms (sometimes included in an advance directive such as a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care) o Pre-paid funeral contracts o Organ/tissue donation record o Social Security card (or number) o Birth certificates (of all family members) o Marriage license or certificate o Community property agreements o Domestic Partnership Registration o Driver’s license o Passport, citizenship, immigration and/or alien registration papers Personal Information o Names and contact information of closest family and friends o Names and contact information of all lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc. o Family Tree, if available (especially if there is no Will). 3. Practical Steps and Information Make a list of regular bills to have as a reminder. Be sure to note if any are on automatic payment plans and note when payments are due. Give all unpaid bills to the Personal Representative (if any) to be paid. Some examples of bills to locate: o Utility bills (electric, heating, telephone, cell phones, water/sewer/garbage, etc.) o Long term debts (home mortgages, bank line of credit, car loans, etc.) o Rental fees (home, apartment, assisted living, or nursing home, etc.) o Credit card bills o Insurance bills (health, long term care, home, car, life insurance, etc.) o Property tax bills (if paid separately and not included in home mortgage) Page 5 of 11 Access to bank accounts: If you are a co-signer or have a joint account with the deceased, you should be able to use some of the money in the account to pay the regular bills of the deceased. Keep detailed records of all the bills you pay and any withdrawals of cash from the account. Power of Attorney: If you were the holder of a Power of Attorney (sometimes called an “attorney-in-fact” or the “agent”) for the deceased, your authority to act under the Power of Attorney ends at the time of death. The only exception to this is if you were also listed in the Power of Attorney as the deceased's "Designated Agent" for after- death arrangements. In this case, you will have the authority to make funeral or memorial arrangements as well as burial or cremation arrangements. Check and take care of the deceased’s home, property, and pets, if necessary. Put valuables (cash, jewelry, collectible items) in a safe place. Be sure the house is locked, if no one is home. Contact the Post Office (listed in the telephone directory as United States Postal Service) with forwarding information, if necessary.